The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-31

He seemed to have recovered his or dinary spirits. and though those who knew him best declared that he had aged considerably, all his congrega- tion were delighted to see him in the pulpit once again. and the church was crammed on the first occasion of his officiating alter his bereavement. In a simple, touching sermon he mod estly alluded to himself and to the great kindness he had received from all classes, and was evidently choked with emotion when he referred to the loss "we had all sustained and sor- rowed for, while he trusted, relying in the goodness of the Most High, and unquestioning His wisdom in all things" The text was from the Lords Prayer line, His will be done." Simple, appropriate and pa- thetic, his church wardens declared, when they walked over, in the cool of this Sunday evening, to brighten their pastors loneliness and discuss trivial parochial matters, just to divert his attention from his troubles.
 They did not find him lonely or sorrowful. The Rev. MT. Touchet sat at his evening meal facing a pretty blonde girl, neatly dressed in the prevailing tea-gown fashion. Her bright, fluffy hair struggled over her shapely neck, and round about her white forehead from beneath which glared out pair of black-fringed hazel eyes. Innocence spoke from every feature in her face, while her fine white teeth were digging vi- ciously into ripe peaches, whose bloom was no more beautiful than that of her own cheeks. Bright and Arm strong, the church wardcns, were not what could be called worldly men, and had no experience of bloom of Ninon, or Clarkson's lille powder. To their unsophisticated minds, the term Au- reoline and Kohl would convey no meaning whatever, so they were charmed and delighted with the ap- pearance and bright manner of the vicar's niece, to whom, as Miss May bud, they were duly introduced. They even consented to partake of a glass of champagne, the beverage with which the clergyman and his niece were regaling themselves, and re- mained chatting until past ten o'clock at night--a dissipation for which Mir. Armstrong had to give an account to his wife when he arrived home, elated with the unusual wine, and more than ever cheerful from the entertain ing society in which he had passed the evening.
 "I never knew he had niece," so- liloquized Mrs. Armstrong, after the manner of still born Caudle curtain lecturer. "Miss Maybud-Maybud. She must be his sisters daughter, or, perhaps, poor Mrs. Touchet's sisters daughter. Yes, that's it. No, her sister married Colonel Peanut George, did you say she was fair or dark?"
 But George Armstrong was asleep before his wife's train of thought had taken her to this stage. And she had not the heart to awaken him, so her cogitations were left to fade into dreams of hashcd beef, Irish stew, cooks robberies, and other domestic substantialities with which, like a good housekeeper and the mother of a large family, she occupied her thoughts. But when the duties of next day were completed, the subject of the vicar's niece came up, and she put on her bonnet and shawl, and strolled across to Mrs. Bolus to have a friendly gossip and cup of tea. Mrs. Bolus was of absolutely no as- sistance. She believed that the late Mrs. Touchet had two sisters. But you know, my dear," she added, "al- though, heaven forbid I should say anything ill-natured of one who is dead and gone-may her soul rest in peace-Mrs Touchet was awfully re- served on family matters. None ofus ever saw any of her people. We were not good enough, l supposed. By the way, has the vicar brought his niece to call upon you? He has not had the civility to present her to me-"
 "She was only here from Saturday till Tuesday," replied Mrs. Arm strong, proud of her superior knowl- edge on any subject "but she Is com- ing down again shortly, and Mir. | Touchet is sure to do what is right. {" Mrs. Bolus smiled. Goodness knows what that sniff meant possibly it had no special signification; maybe it was an indication of contempt for the par son and his dead wife, and all belong i ing to him and to her. But the mat ter was not further talked of by either of the ladies. Once or twice, when Mir. Touchet met MT. Arm strong, the latter asked kindly after Miss Maybud, and received the com forting assurance that she was in good health. Certainly the Saturday par ties at the vicarsge were broken up :; excusably enough since the mistress